Caged
by maritime-dream
Summary: A child with golden wings was born, but he was stolen by a witch. Years pass, and locked away in his tower in the middle of a monster-filled forest, he yearns to explore the outside world and see the lights. Enter the Winchester hunting duo. Hijinks ensue.
1. Chapter 1

_Sooo... Hey there, Supernatural fans! Welcome to my first Destiel fic! In fact, my first SPN fic! It's inspired from and based on the Disney movie, _Tangled_, except there's less singing and dancing and sunshine and more SADNESS AND DARKNESS AND ANGST. But we all love a bit of angst. Nah. I'll try to keep it as light-hearted as I can, but I can't make any promises, ehehe. Oh right, and forgive me if I make any geographical and historical mistakes. But it's set in a magical land where magic happens and time's endless and you can have unicorns farting rainbows while vampires run around with flamethrowers, so yeah. I apologize in advance, though. I'm also quite a beginner when it comes to writing down my **FEELS**, so if you guys ever see some mistake or think a sentence/paragraph/everything doesn't sound quite right, please tell me! Right, on with the story!_

_right yeah and I don't own Disney or Tangled or Supernatural because if I did there'd be a lot more Destiel lovin' and less Leviathans screwing around with the world. And Lucifer would really be a kawaii babe. (oh wait he already is)_

___..._

_Once upon a time, a long long time ago, a drop of sunlight fell from the heavens. From this small drop of sun, grew a beautiful flower. Its long and curled petals appeared to be spun out of golden honey, giving the plant a brilliant shine that fought the darkness of the night. This plant contained magical powers, powers said to be granted by God himself. A touch from this delicate flower could instantly cure a broken bone, cure all diseases known to mankind, and even grant a person eternal youth._

_Eventually, an old witch had found this golden miracle. Now, this old witch had once been a beautiful woman, sought out by many men for her ivory skin and her raven black hair. Her spells could perform nearly all the wonders the flower could, so a powerful sorceress like her would not need such a plant._

_However, in all her spellbooks and scrolls, the witch could not find the answer to eternal youth. In hindsight, perhaps it was not wise for the witch to make deals with demons during her youth, such offering her soul in exchange for powerful knowledge in black magic. Although her time was near, the witch was unwilling to simply expire and spend an eternity in damnation._

_So the witch took the magic flower for herself, using her magic to conceal the flower from the world. Once every week, the witch would unveil the flower and whisper a song. The flower's glow would brighten with every word, drawn to the witch's melody. Once her ritual was complete and her youth was restored, the witch would utter incantations to cover the flower. This carried on for years, which lead to decades, which lead to centuries. The witch was terribly past her expiration date._

_One day, in a kingdom nearby, tragedy had stricken. This kingdom was a very merry kingdom that adored its royal family. King Michael, a handsome man with jet black hair and grey eyes, was a just and honorable man who ruled with a fair hand, with his kind and pretty queen, a red-haired woman named Anna. The royal couple was already gifted with several heirs, such as impish Gabriel, stoic Raphael and carefree Balthazar. During her fourth pregnancy, queen Anna had fallen severely ill near birth. Despite the myriad of doctors, healers and wise women who visited the ailing Anna, it was obvious that she was close to death. Michael had vowed to find the mythical flower, which had mysteriously vanished centuries ago. Dozens of search parties were gathered and scattered throughout the entire vicinity of the kingdom._

_Maybe it was by pure chance, or maybe it was fate, but one group of men had almost stumbled upon the centuries-old witch who was nearing the end of the ritual. Once her youth had once again been restored, she rushed through her spell that veiled the flower, accidentally forgetting a line and hurrying away without knowing that her precious life source was still out in the open. Of course, the warm and luminous light of the flower had instantly caught the men's attention. One of them gave a joyous shout and pointed towards golden flower only a few meters ahead. This shout attracted the fleeing witch's attention; her hooded form barely visible in the night. She watched through bushes with squinted eyes as the search party crowded around the flower, and then proceeding to disappear into the darkness._

_The plant was uprooted, brought back to the kingdom, dropped into a tepid bowl of soup and carried to the queen. The flower melted into the broth of the soup and gave it a radiant glow. When queen Anna drank the soup, she was instantly cured, and soon gave birth to a healthy boy with hair as black as his father's._

* * *

"Father, what will we name him?" Asked a dark-haired child as his family stood over the cot. His gaze was focused towards his the king, his chocolate brown eyes wide and curious. The room they stood in was a soft creamy white color with darker cream stripes. On the ceiling, a pastel green sun was painted directly above the cot, the green to symbolize the Thursday the baby was born in, and the sun to symbolize the family's eternal thanks to the small miracle.

"I think we should name him Fatty, 'cos that's what he is," A slightly taller boy announced with a grin. He had hazel green eyes that resembled the queen and a fair mop of hair that down his forehead.

"You stink at naming, Gabriel," Another boy said. He was the shortest of them all, and his eyes twinkled with mischief. He also had light hair, although it was short and cropped. "Everyone knows that all babies are pretty chunky. I think we should name him Shorty, 'cuz I'm not the shortest anymore!"

The king smiled down affectionately at his sons, giving each boy a respective tousle on the head. "Shouldn't you two leave the naming to your mother?" He asked, his voice tinged with humor. He bent down to peer at his new son, raising his hand above the baby and wiggling his fingers.

The infant's large gray eyes widened with excitement. He gurgled with happiness, reaching out chubby hands to flail at his father. Michael let out a soft chuckle as the child finally caught one of the outstretched fingers, proceeding to put said finger in his toothless mouth.

"Ewww, did I do that when I was a kid?" The tallest boy scrunched up his face with mock disgust. "Mooom, dad's getting his fingers all slobbered over!"

Queen Anna poked her head out from behind the room's entrance, a smile on her face. Despite the fact that she had just given birth, Anna was quite a healthy woman. Her red-hair hung down her shoulder practically shone, and her dark green eyes were twinkling with amusement. "Gabriel, are you already bothering your new brother?" She asked. The shortest boy leaned over to shoot his mother a rather exasperated expression.

"Nah, he's just suggesting some names. They're terrible, really." He rolled his eyes as if to emphasize his point.

"Like yours was any better, Balthazar!" Gabriel rebutted with a grin. "I bet in a few years, he'll be taller than you anyway!"

"Anna, would _you_ have any suggestions for our new son?" Michael asked in an attempt to quell the imminent war between Gabriel and Balthazar. He straightened his back and stepped towards his wife, pulling her close to him and leading her to the cot. The family was once again quiet, although Gabriel stuck out his tongue at Balthazar and blew a raspberry. This earned him a withering look from Raphael.

After a short moment of peace, Anna let out a soft sigh and reached down the cot to gently caress her son's small tuft of ebony hair, slowly letting her hands curl around his small body as she picked him up. She cradled the infant close to her chest and nestled her head against his, breathing in the fresh and flowery scent of his most recent bath.

The baby let out a squeal of delight, and before Gabriel could even start complaining about 'darn _babies_ and their _stupid_ high pitched caterwauling', the child had a golden pair of wings sprouting from his back.

Anna let out an astonished gasp. Michael's eyes bugged out. Gabriel and Balthazar gave twin cries of bewilderment. Raphael merely snapped his head up towards his new brother, regarding the wings and allowing his mouth to slightly drop in surprise.

"The… The… Flower…" Michael stammered what immediately leapt to his mind as the winged child merely yawned and snuggled closer towards his mother's chest. "Anna… Do you think that the flower's magic could somehow… Transfer into our child?"

Anna looked on at the pair of wings, one outstretched hand tentatively inching toward the closest wing. Her fingers grazed by a stray feather that stuck out. She was instantly bathed in a warm and pleasant feeling that quickly spread throughout her body, making her let out a soft breath of happiness.

"Oh, Michael," She breathed. "This is a blessing, a blessing!" Her voice was joyous, which greatly assuaged the rest of the family. Gabriel and Balthazar seem to have recovered from their shock, and Gabriel was already bouncing on his toes as he eyed the golden pair of wings.

"This is so cool!" He said with a grin. Balthazar eagerly nodded his head in agreement.

"Our brother can _fly_!" He spread his arms out and started flapping like a bird. "He can take us _anywhere_ we want! No more horse carriages for this prince, he'll be traveling by air!" Balthazar was just about to start babbling about plans involving the start of a travel business by air, but Michael, who still bore a faint look of concern, quietly shushed the excited boy.

"Anna," Michael began, "we cannot let the kingdom know about... This." He gestured towards the child's wings. The queen, looking offended, opened her mouth to retort, but Michael beat her to it. "We still have enemies, Anna," said Michael in a more pleading tone; "enemies who want to harm us in any way. Think of what people would be willing pay for for our son. I am only saying this for his protection."

Anna bit her lip, returning her gaze towards the golden pair of wings which had started to shrink back into the infant's body. After a moment's hesitation, she nodded, and Michael let out a sigh of relief. The king wrapped his queen up in his strong arms in a protective manner, also gathering in his three sons who crowded around their mother.

"We can still hold a small celebration," Michael said, pressing a soft kiss on his wife's forehead. Unfortunately, Gabriel _had_ to ruin the moment.

"Does that mean we get another round of cake?" He asked, eyes brimming with hope. Anna could only laugh.

* * *

That night, the royal family had emerged onto the castle balcony, looking out onto the eagerly awaiting crowd. In his hand, Michael held a small and boxy paper lantern, its fragile exterior decorated with a pastel green sun and intricate patterns that curved around it. His other hand was wrapped around Anna, who cradled the newborn in her arms.

Gabriel approached his parents, handling a burning candle very carefully. He slowly lit the light metal bottom of the lantern, hastily putting out the candle's fire once the metal was alight.

Michael smiled at his son and with a gentle launch; the lantern soared in the air. Down below, the crowd gave an excited cheer to celebrate the health of their queen and the birth of her new child. Gabriel and Balthazar started an animated discussion on how they wanted to celebrate their own birthdays (Gabriel would much prefer an entire week's worth of sugary delights instead of a lame lantern), while their parents looked towards the sky. Staring up at the sole lantern, Anna gently tugged at Michael's sleeve.

"Michael?" She said. "I think I know what I want to call him." She looked down at her new son, gently stroking his fine few strands of black hair. With a loving smile, she whispered, "_Castiel_."

* * *

Later in the evening, as the royal family slept, the witch crept into the room of the sleeping Castiel. As she neared the cot, she let down her hood to reveal a pasty, shriveled face and harsh, beady black eyes. She began to chant her song, the song that she had sang for centuries. As if drawn out by her words, golden wings began to emerge from the child, throwing light around the surrounding walls. The witch drew out a pair of scissors, her eyes flashing with hunger. As she neared the end of her song, she began to snip at a wing. As the scissors closed around a clump of golden feathers, they instantly lost their glow, turning as black as coal.

"No…" The witch breathed, flinging the useless dark feathers onto the ground.

Michael and Anna awoke with a start when they heard a wail.

"Castiel!" Anna's voice was surging with worry.

As the king and the queen arrived at their new son's bedroom, they saw a hooded figure on the balcony look back at them, eyes flashing in the dark. Anna could make out a small bundle carried by the figure, could hear the small sob the bundle made.

"Castiel!" She cried, reaching out. But it was too late. The figure swiftly slipped down the balcony and into the night.

The kingdom searched and searched for weeks, but they could not find their missing prince. Eventually, all hope was lost, and search parties limped home to deliver the sad news to the royal family.

The witch had taken the child to a new hiding place, a tower far, far away from the kingdom. She raised the child as her own, teaching the child to sing her special song as she groomed his golden wings. The witch had recovered her magical flower, and was determined to never lose it again.

Anna, although heartbroken, did not lose hope, and continued to celebrate her missing son's birthday with a show of hundreds of lanterns floating into the sky, hoping that one day, Castiel would see the lanterns and return home.

___..._

_So. Um. There you go. Happy happy? HEHEHEHEHE. Please review, I really would appreciate that, yes. I'll try to update as often as I can, but I can't make any promises. You'll be seeing the return of lots of beloved characters and quotes from both Tangled and SPN, and, I promise by my Cas-loving heart, no OCs. I lack the energy to create them. _


	2. Chapter 2

_Sooo yeah I wrote this in advance. Now we'll see more of our beloved Winchester bros, woohoo! As usual, read and rate, and of course, enjoy. No singing in my stories. Unfortunately. Wondering if I should come up with a unique song for Cas' magic wings. Or just refer to it as a song... /sigh So I'm not very good at writing about a stony-faced and apathetic character, so Cas may seem a little off. Even if I love him very much. I'M STILL PRACTICING ALRIGHT._

___..._

_**20 years later in the middle of nowhere**_

In the heart of a forest stood a tall, tall tower. It composed of pale grey stones stacked on top of one another to form a pole. Nestled on top of the pole was a dome-shaped arrangement of more grey stone, topped with a blue roof made out of bricks. The dome was painted white, with windows that looked out into the forest. Dirty red ceramic pots hung from all windows, filled with a variety of colored flora.

A young man sat by one of these windows, gray-blue eyes staring out straight ahead into the mass of trees. He was dressed in a plain white tunic, with two strange slits on the back, and an equally plain pair of dark-colored pants. He had rested his head on his arms, which were folded neatly on the windowsill. Obviously bored, the man temporarily lifted an arm to muss his mop of short black hair. It's not like he had anyone to impress today.

He attempted to stave off the growing feeling of restlessness by starting a conversation with a bee that had buzzed by his window, browsing through the large selection of flowers that were planted inside the pots.

"Hello," The man said in his rather deep voice. The bee didn't reply, although it started to burrow into a particular red flower that had large, crimson petals and a bright yellow center. "Today is supposed to be an exciting day for me, you know." He continued, but the bee ignored him. The man furrowed his eyebrows into a frown as he stared at the working bee.

After a short pause, he drew a weary breath. "I see. You have to support your colony, and I am disturbing your duties." The bee continued humming, never paying attention to its observer. The man gave the insect a stiff nod. "I apologize, I'll take my leave."

And with that, he stood up from his stool, closed the wooden windows, and walked aimlessly toward a bookshelf. The room had a certain homely feel to it, its floors decorated with a mix of coral, red and orange tiles and the walls painted a creamy white. The white was hard to see, though, because of the endless parade of pictures and colors splashed across the walls. Most of them contained the dark-haired man doing quite mundane things. One picture depicted him collecting honey, and another seemed to show him painting on an even smaller wall. The man stopped in front of the bookshelf, absent-mindedly thumbing over the spines of dozens of books, eventually picking out several thick books that read out 'ENCYCLOPEDIA'.

The man spent most of his afternoon holed up in his bedroom, sitting on his bed and reading the large books he had chosen. Once the sun began to set, the man took one glance out the window and snapped his book shut, sliding off his bed and walking back downstairs. He stopped by the bookshelf again and picked out a book that read 'RECIPES'.

As he drifted into the kitchen, the man picked out a few ingredients and opened his trusty book, reading out loud the instructions. He sifted through the pantry, searching for a number of ingredients. He dropped them into a boiling pot and began stirring methodically, eyes still on the recipe book.

Once his meal was complete, the man emptied the pot's contents into two bowls, sticking a wooden spoon into each respective bowl. His head only jerked up toward an open window when he heard a familiar voice.

"Castiel, let down the rope!" It called in a sing-song voice.

* * *

_**Meanwhile, in a nearby not-so-serene kingdom**_

Three men dashed through the cobbled streets, leaping over carts and darting around surprised bystanders. The man in the lead was Dean Winchester, a handsome and well-built man. His hair was brown, short and cropped, and his eyes blazed in a startling shade of emerald green. The tallest man was his brother, Sam Winchester. He sported his brother's good looks, although he was quite a few inches taller than Dean. His mop of hair was a shade of chocolate brown, falling down and barely covering his hazel eyes. The third man, Gordon Walker, was dark-skinned, his black hair short and his brown eyes flashing with confusion as they ran through the streets.

This unfortunate trio were just harmlessly ambling around the streets until a nearby woman dropped her basket of fruits and continued to lose her shit, pointing at one of them and screaming something about her friend's uncle's cousin's neighbor getting murdered because of him. The man she flailed at, of course, _had_ to be Dean.

"Who, me?" Dean had said, innocently pointing a finger to his chest. His brother had visibly stiffened.

"I thought you said that the news never got out of that kingdom?" Sam had asked, while the third man simply looked confused and wondered if the woman had a drink this morning.

"What news?"

"The shape-shifter...?"

"Oooh... Crap. Gordon, we gotta get outta here."

And so they were off, running through the previously peaceful kingdom as similar cries of terror began to echo behind them.

"Y'know, Dean, just _once_, I'd like to be able to stroll through somewhere, _anywhere_, without someone screaming bloody murder," Sam complained with a glare at his brother. If looks could kill, daggers would shoot out of his eyes and into his brother's stupid head.

"Aww, you don't mean that, Sammy," Dean retorted. "Life would be boring, and you'd have to end up working at a library or something." He turned his head towards his brother and gave him a wink, his emerald green eyes sparkling. The taller man only scowled back in return.

"Will you two quit talking and just tell me why we're being chased by the goddamn royal guard?" Gordon grunted, clearly irritated. They were nearing the end of the bridge where three horses were tied to a post.

"Wellll, remember that shapeshifter story I told you about? It kind of took on my skin and went around killing a couple people before me'n'Sam were able to gank it."

"…"

"Well, it's dead now…"

"…"

"And so's the nest of vampires we all took out last night…?"

"Remind me to never work with you two again."

"Oh come on, that's just not fair."

Before anyone could say anything else, the three men arrived at their waiting steeds, rapidly untying their reins and leaping up onto their respective horse.

"Right, me'n'Sam will head off into the center of the forest, while you go along the river," Hollered Dean as he mounted a pure black stallion. "I think they'll just split up and eventually just give up."

The third man nodded and without another word, dashed off on his bay horse.

Dean looked back at his brother, still fiddling with the reins attached to his chestnut colored mare. Dean rolled his eyes.

"Dude, just make some 'hya!' sounds and she'll understand you." He lifted up his own tangled up reins.

"The trainer said that she's still pretty new to reins!" Sam protested. They both looked up when they heard shouts from the distance. The small army was now halfway through the bridge.

"Well, looks like you'll have to wing it, eh?" Dean said, flashing Sam another one of his winning grins and nudging his own horse to a gallop. With a 'hya!', he was racing through the forest.

"Real funny, Dean!" Sam shouted after his brother. With a groan, he encouraged his own horse to a gallop. The mare let out an irritated snort and started galloping through the forest, charging after Dean's own horse.

* * *

_**Back in the middle of nowhere**_

A rope was thrown out of the tower, sailing into the air and down towards the waiting figure. The hooded woman grabbed onto the rope and made a loop, stepping onto the steady rope and giving it a yank. The rope began its slow journey up towards the tower, eventually reaching the window and allowing the woman to step from the rope into the dome.

"Hello, mother." Castiel greeted with a respectful nod.

The woman let down her hood, revealing black, long hair that curled and fell behind her shoulders. Her dark brown eyes focused on Castiel, reaching out an arm and giving Castiel a pat on the head.

"How's my little angel?" She cooed. Castiel only shifted uncomfortably under the nickname.

"Mother, I am no longer four." He said, but she was already gone, wandering into the kitchen.

"Did you make dinner already?" She asked, sniffing the air.

"Yes, I did, but I have a question- " He started but was immediately put down by a series of shushes from his mother.

"Hush now, Castiel dear, I've spent a day trekking through that awful forest." She said, and with a melodramatic sigh, plopped down onto a nearby chair and reached for her dinner.

"Alright then," With a stiff nod, Castiel trailed into the kitchen after her, taking his own dinner and eating in silence. It's not like silence was bad. In fact, Castiel was quite accustomed to it. It was either that or his mother's many rants that filled his home, anyway.

After dinner was done and the dishes were washed, Castiel opened his mouth to ask his question, but was once again cut off by his mother.

"Castiel, dear, I'm a bit worn out by my journey. Would you like me to groom your wings?" She asked in a sweet tone. "You know how that always soothes me."

Castiel only nodded obediently as he went to the nearby shelf, picking out a brush and a stool. He handed the brush over to his mother and sat on the stool. With a sigh, he closed his eyes, and out came his golden wings, basking the room with a golden glow.

As his mother began her brushing, she sang her song as Castiel's back was turned. His wings shone even brighter, the light flowing off his wings and into a steady stream, which vanished into his mother's skin.

Once done, Castiel lingered by his mother's side. Unsure of how to start, he cleared his throat. "Errr, so, mother, as you know, this week is quite a… Uh… Special week for me." His mother looked up at him, her eyes narrowed. "It's… My birthday?" He managed to croak out.

"Hmmm, really?" His mother asked, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "Can't be!" She snapped her fingers. "I thought we celebrated your birthday last year already." Castiel's eyebrows furrowed downward into a confused frown.

"That's the thing about birthdays…" He proceeded cautiously. "They tend to happen once a year." Was this a joke? His mother always thought her jokes were quite hilarious, although Castiel never really saw the appeal in them.

"Smart child, go on," She said with a Cheshire grin.

"Well, it's my twentieth birthday, and I was wanting to…" He sucked his breath in for the final sentence, "to see the lights."

"But we see them from your nice spot on the window every year!" His mother said, pointing out a window that looked out into the seemingly endless forest.

"Yes but I'd like to actually observe them from up close," Castiel replied, fidgeting with the edge of his sleeve. He didn't want to see that look his mother would give him every time he mentioned the outside world.

"Castiel, why would you ever want to go outside?" She asked, stepping towards him. "It's such a dangerous place, I told you about it and you even read it in a few of your books." She gestured toward the bookshelf crammed with books.

"But-" Castiel began, but was cut off when his mother gave him an all-too-hearty slap on the shoulder.

"My dear angel, haven't I told you about the creatures that lurk the night? Coupled with your innocence and, to be frank, your incompetence when it comes to human interaction," She gave Castiel an innocent 'you know I'm just teasing' smile when he frowned at her, "it's much too dangerous for my son! People will take you away from me, you know. Once they learn about your wings." His mother had an almost fearful look cross into her eyes.

Oh dear, Castiel could sense an impending rant about her sweet and dear angel and how her poor little son would turn into a rotten pile of meat and bones in less than a day's time inside the forest. Castiel couldn't bear another one of those.

"No, no, mother, I quite understand," Castiel said before she could even draw out a strangled sob. "I'll stay, mother." He promised, and then he was pulled into a crushing hug.

"Good," His mother sighed. After a moment's silence, she extracted Castiel from her arms, and then pulled up her hood again. "Well, I have to go now. I'll see you, my sweet little angel!" And with that, she grabbed the rope perched by the window, waiting for Castiel to lower her down.

"I'm not four, mother," Castiel repeated with a sigh as he lowered her down. He watched as she walked away from his tower, disappearing into a nearby cave.

___..._

_Ehehehehe, this one wasn't nearly as edited as the last one, so there may be some obvious errors. Please point them out to me, you know I'll appreciate it. WHEEEEE. Yes it's 1 AM in the morning and I'm real tired._


	3. Chapter 3

_So, this chapter's a little short. Sorry! But I just think the story would go better if the chapters were separated like this. So yeah, I'll always try to update once every other day, or once a day. Nothing's changed much, so don't expect any complications in the story!_

_..._

The ground shook under the hooves of horses as the brothers charged recklessly through the forest. Of course, neither knew where they where they were headed, although they could hear the fading cries of the royal guards.

"Think we lost them?" Sam yelled above the sounds that rushed by them.

"Dunno, just keep riding!" Dean hollered back. "There has to be an end to this goddamn forest!"

Just as the words left his mouth, they burst into a clearing. The trees surrounded this glade in an almost perfect circle, although that was not the reason as to why the brothers were gaping.

"The hell is that?" Dean blurted, his eyes looking up towards the sky.

A tall gray tower loomed over them, giving off an intimidating aura. It certainly didn't look friendly, with green vines wrapping around its base and a dark blue pointed roof, threatening to impale any unfortunate bird that flew over it. The pots of flowers that hung over the windows seemed quaint enough, though.

"Are we gonna climb it?" Asked Dean, taking note that the sun was beginning to set. It was common knowledge among the brothers that once it got dark, it would _really_ be unwise to be wandering around a forest.

Just then, they heard the faint shouts of the royal guard. Sam looked over his shoulder at Dean and gave his brother a shrug.

"Does it look like we have a choice?"

"What about the horses, huh?" Dean gestured toward his precious black stallion. Sam rolled his eyes. His brother tended to have an unhealthy obsession with Impala, his black steed.

"Just tie them up nearby, it's not like Impala likes to run off anyway." He said in what he hoped to be in a reassuring voice.

"Damn right, I was the one who trained him in the first place." Dean replied with a hint of pride. "And if they take my baby away, we'll just smash through their kingdom till we get him back."

He climbed off his horse and grabbed a burlap sack that was tied to the saddle, slinging it over his shoulder. Sam quickly followed suit.

Once the horses were tied to nearby trees, the brothers drew two knives from each of their sacks and scaled the tower, digging their knives into cracks in the stone in order to hoist themselves up.

The climb was quick and easy, and in no time, the brothers had managed to reach the nearest windowsill and clamber through. They spilled onto the floor of the mysterious tower, with Dean landing ungracefully onto Sam.

"Geddoff me." Sam grunted, pushing his brother off. They stood back up on their feet, dusting off any dirt from their clothes as they examined their surroundings. The room was normal enough, definitely better than the inns they had been staying in for more than half of their lives.

"You think we lost 'em?" Dean asked as he looked back out the window. Outside the tower was pretty peaceful, save for the distant shouts of soldiers. Sam shrugged.

"The sun's setting, I guess they'll have to give up on the hunt sooner or later." He said. Just then, Sam heard a loud thump, and the next thing he knew, his brother was plummeting to the ground. Standing above him was a dark-haired man holding a heavy book, his blue eyes shooting up with meet with Sam's. Sam had barely been able to register a confused protest before he was hit with the book and blackness began to swim around his vision.

* * *

Castiel stooped over his unconscious victims. The first one was a shorthaired male with a clean-shaven face, although Castiel couldn't see most of it since the man had face-planted the ground. The second one was slightly taller and had longer hair.

Not wanting to frighten his mother with two knocked out strangers in the tower, Castiel quickly decided to hide the two men. He started out with the shorthaired one first, lifting him up and slinging his arm over Castiel's shoulder. He dragged the passed out male through the room, pausing every now and then to catch his breath. It's not like this man was feather-light. As he made his way up the stairs, Castiel finally reached his room, kicking the doors open and carefully placing the man onto the floor.

When he finally had a chance to see the stranger's face, Castiel stiffened. As he examined the man's features, he felt a wave of curiosity and something new wash over him, making Castiel lean ever so slightly downward to brush his fingers along the man's jaw line. The touch was light and brief, but Castiel could feel the strange feeling intensify.

Shaking himself back into reality, Castiel stood up and briskly walked out of the room and down the stairs, reaching the taller man and heaving him upwards. With much difficulty, Castiel lugged the man into his room, setting him on the floor next to the other. Castiel hastily shuffled over and removed the burlap sacks from the two men, then proceeded to exit the room, lock it, and toss the two sacks onto the kitchen counter.

He sat down on a nearby chair, letting out an exhausted huff. He wearily looked up to his bedroom door, half-expecting one of the men to burst out. Castiel's mother always told him that he wouldn't be able to handle himself outside. He couldn't help but feel a glimmer of triumph. Well, he had just single-handedly managed to take out two rather sturdy looking men, wasn't that proof enough that he was ready to step into the world?

_..._

_Sorry if the last part seemed a bit confusing. It's pretty hard to refer to Sam and Dean as 'that man' for five paragraphs, so tell me if that part needs editing... Yeah. So as usual, reviews are very much appreciated, and thanks, you guys, for your nice reviews!  
_


	4. Chapter 4

_Wow, you guys are all so nice in your reviews, thank you so much! And sorry Alice, I do realize that in many fics where Impala is something other than a car, it's usually a female, I guess it's because people refer to their vehicles as females all the time. Eh. Oh well. Impala will not play a very large role in this story, so hopefully it won't bother you too much ): _

_And I know, my chapters are pretty short. I'm upset over their length too, and I'm trying my hardest to add more meat to each chapter. More descriptive stuff and filler? Hrm. I'll try my best, ehehe. Also thinking of a high-school AU fic, but I'll probably put it off until Caged is done. As usual, read, enjoy and review! Woohoo!_

_..._

When Dean finally managed to blink open his eyes, his first instinct was to jerk up to his feet. Unfortunately, he was bound very tightly to a chair, and he ended up crashing to the ground with a yelp of surprise. He landed on his cheek, hard, and all Dean could see were the legs of shelves and a plain wall. And no sign of Sam. His instincts instantly set on 'find-Sammy' mode, Dean struggled to twist his head around to get a better look at the room.

"Sammy?" He called out. Nearby, Dean could hear his brother moan in reply, as if he was waking up from a deep sleep.

"Unghh… Dean?" Sam groaned. "What happened? Why are we tied to chairs?" Great. Sam's immobilized too.

"How'm I s'posed to know?" Dean grunted, his voice partially muffled by the floor. He had given up his attempt to contort his head, and was now rocking his body back and forth, trying to roll over.

Sam craned his neck over to see the crumpled shape of his brother. "Uhh, why are you on the floor?"

"I fell." Dean mumbled, and he could practically hear his brother rolling his eyes. Sam could be a little bitch at times.

"Oh. You're awake." Said an unfamiliar voice. Sam's head jerked up to see the man, instantly recognizing him as the guy who had whacked Dean in the head with a book. Sam could quickly deduce that he had met the same fate.

"Whu? Who's there?" Dean's rocking became more violent as he struggled to set himself upright.

Suddenly, there was a pair of feet in front of Dean's eyes, and then he was lurched backwards to meet piercing blue eyes. Dean instantly quieted down, staring back at the man. He had a mop of messy black hair, as if he had just rolled out of bed. He dressed plainly enough, in a white shirt and black pants, but what held Dean's attention was his eyes, a shade of gray-blue. Dean had to admit that the guy was undeniably attractive, but he didn't feel like evaluating a_ total stranger_ at the moment. The blue eyes continued to peer into green for a good minute before Dean started to feel slightly uncomfortable under the intense gaze.

"Um, dude, personal space." Dean muttered. The man seemed to wake up from his reverie and pulled away from Dean.

"Hmm… Green. Interesting." The hunter could hear him murmur in a low voice before Sam started a barrage of questions.

"Who are you?" His brother demanded, struggling at his confines. "Where are we? Why'd you tie us up? Where are our bags?"

The man never spoke as Sam shouted question after question, bringing up another chair and sitting in front of them. He only spoke once Sam had exhausted himself, looking at the two brothers as if they were a fascinating experiment.

"I am Castiel, and this is my home that you have trespassed upon," He said in an irritatingly calm tone. Sam let out a huff of air. At least this guy wasn't mute.

"Well, Castiel, my brother and I are _very_ sorry for intruding. Just untie us and let us go, and we won't bother you again." Sam said, struggling to keep his voice as calm as the man's.

"It's not like we're dangerous," Dean decided to chime in unhelpfully. Sam threw his brother a death glare. "What? We're just two brothers on a road trip around the country." Dean said, feigning a look of innocent confusion. Sam vowed to sock his brother square on the jaw once they escaped.

"So you two travel?" Castiel asked, making the two snap their attention back to their captor.

"Uhh, yeah, I guess so," Dean replied with a shrug, although his shoulders could barely move under the ropes.

"Do you know anything concerning the lights that appear once a year outside this forest?"

"Huh? You mean that lantern festival thing that kingdom does to celebrate some prince's birthday?" Sam said in confusion, wondering why the man would take such an interest in something like that.

Castiel didn't seem to hear Sam's words. "So they were lanterns," He breathed as his eyes dropped towards the ground and adopted a thoughtful expression. The two brothers could practically see the gears turning in his mind. Seeming to reach some sort of decision, Castiel looked back up at them, a look of steely determination on his face.

"Take me to see the lanterns, and I will promise to free the both of you." He said, hesitantly adding, "Please."

"What? Why would we do that?" Dean asked incredulously. No way was he going back to that kingdom, not when they wanted his head on a pole.

"Because. It's important," Castiel said solemnly, but Dean only rolled his eyes.

"Well, sorry buddy, but we're kind of on a tight schedule, and-"

"And because I will destroy your bags." Castiel cut in. _That_ seemed to catch their attention.

"Hey hey hey, let's not get carried away here!" Dean protested. There were a couple expensive weapons stuffed in those sacks, such as Dean's silver dagger and Sam's bronze sickle. Who knew monsters were such expensive creatures to gank?

"Then take me to see the lights."

Sam and Dean exchanged glances, seeming to share some sort of mental agreement. They gave each other resolute nods.

"Fine. We'll take you to see the lights," Sam muttered.

And with that, Castiel abruptly stood up and started to untie Sam. Once the cords hit the ground, Castiel turned his attention to Dean, making his way over to the man and quickly untying his ropes. It was then that Dean decided he did _not_ like to be in close proximity of this guy, and jumped out of his chair as soon as he was freed.

"Right. So, are we off then?" Dean asked, clapping his hands together. Sam nodded, starting to move towards the door.

"Wait." Castiel made the two brothers pause. "There still is the problem of my mother…"

"What, you got a curfew or something?" Dean snorted. Seriously, this guy lived with his mom? Lame.

"She forbade me from leaving this tower." A look of worry crossed Castiel's face, as if he would suffer from some horrible punishment if he disobeyed his mother.

"So then lie," Dean said simply. "Tell her to go away for some time, then she'll never know that you left."

"Would that be wise?" Castiel asked nervously. He had never lied to his mother before. In fact, he had never lied to _anyone_ before. Well, maybe because the only person he saw was his mother... Dean only shrugged as if he couldn't care less.

"Yeah, just go tell her to get some books for you or something. You look like the kind of guy who likes books." Dean could see Castiel visibly tense at the thought of a simple lie. "Hey, _Castiel_, it's not like she'll gut you alive or something," He said as he patted the man on the shoulder. Dean's face slightly quirked when the man's name rolled off his tongue.

"I have never lied to her before," Mumbled Castiel. Dean shrugged again.

"Well suit yourself." He said. "Guess you're not going to see the lights then, Cas."

Castiel frowned. "My name is Castiel, not Cas." He stated.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Well, that name's too long, so I think I'll call you Cas from now on," He said. There was look of confusion on Castiel's face. "It's a _nickname_." Dean explained with a sigh. Seriously, this guy was a real social pariah. He was so not looking forward to the long trek in the forest.

"And by the way, our names are John and Robert Cole." Sam added, gesturing to himself and then to Dean. Their father had instilled the habit of introducing themselves under false aliases years ago, and Sam was not about to break the habit.

The three men were interrupted when a voice sounded from below.

"Castiel, I'm baaack!" It sang.

"It's my mother." Castiel said, walking toward the door. "You two… Stay here until she's gone."

"Uh, okay." The two brothers said in unison.

Feeling a sense of assurance, Castiel took a deep breath and headed toward the floor below, reaching for the rope and throwing it out the window.

* * *

"My goodness Castiel, I've missed you!" His mother declared once she hopped through the window, throwing her arms around Castiel. "How long has it been? An hour? Two hours?"

"It's been around two hours, mother." Castiel replied in a deadpanned voice.

"There you go again. My son can't ever take a joke." His mother pulled away and tutted, a smile on her face.

"Yes, well, mother, I have given our previous conversation some thought," Castiel began, but his mother put up a weary hand.

"I thought we discussed this, Castiel," She groaned, humor gone. "The world is a dangerous place, far too dangerous for my little angel!"

"Oh no, it's not about that." Castiel said. His mother perked up at this.

"Then what is it?"

"I… I have decided what I want for my birthday." Castiel said, looking down at the ground. "I… Um… Wouldlikesomebooksfromthatme rchantfromoverseas." The lie quickly tumbled out of his mouth.

"Castiel, that merchant lives practically a kingdom away," His mother sighed. "At least a four day journey!"

"But... I really enjoyed the books he sold." Castiel said with a cringe. Lying was definitely not his forte.

"Fine, but _only_ because it's your birthday." She said, pulling him in for another hug. "Well! I better be off now, I can't afford to miss your birthday!" She gave Castiel a hearty slap on the back and picked up a nearby basket, throwing on her hood and striding towards the window. "I'll see you in four days, my angel!" She called out as Castiel lowered her down.

"I'm no longer a child," Castiel sighed. At least he had managed to trick her into leaving. He looked up toward his room when he heard a door creak.

The two brothers were poking their heads out from behind the door, twin grins plastered on their faces.

"Your mom calls you her 'angel'?" The green-eyed brother – what was it? Robert? – Could barely hide his snigger.

Castiel felt himself flush. "She has been calling me that ever since my birth." He tried to explain, but it didn't seem to hamper Robert's debilitating attempt to suppress his laughter.

"Well, I think that we're off to a great start on our journey, _little angel_," Robert said with a beam as he made his way down the staircase.

"Please don't call me that," Castiel moaned as he started preparing for their journey.

_..._

_And we're off on an adventure! Personally, I'm glad that this story is finally picking up, and I'm excited to introduce all these monsters and creatures the boys will encounter on their trip! If you people are curious about Cas' mother... Welllll I'll reveal her name later. It's not like her name will be quite important, anyway. And yes she's canon. Thanks again you guys for your wonderful support and reviews, I'll try to update daily! _


	5. Chapter 5

_Wow guys I'm really sorry for not updating these days! I'm caught up with SAT classes, but today's a free day, so I finally have time to update my story! Thank you all for being so nice in your reviews and being so patient c: I promise to make it up to you with more progress in the story, woohoo! And I'll also be working on my high school AU on the side, though I'll probably publish it once the entire story's done. Yes it will be super exciting and fun. Also, I decided to make this story a Romance/Adventure. Does the theme of adventures fit this story? I think it does... Ah well._

_..._

"Dean, should we really trust this guy?" Sam asked as they made their way down from the tower. The two brothers had opted to descend via the way they came up: by sticking their daggers into the tower's cracks and slowly clambering down. Castiel was still inside the room packing up his things, but assured them that he would soon follow.

"Do we really have any other options?" Dean replied as he dug his knife into another break in the stone. "We can always splash him with holy water and run the usual drill while he's asleep. Or just leave him in the middle of a monster-filled forest."

Sam rolled his eyes and they continued their steady climb down the tower without another comment. Once they hit the grass, the brothers looked up towards the open window where Castiel stood, holding a rope in his hand.

"Anytime now, princess!" Dean called up impatiently.

Castiel looked hesitant to leave, eyes flashing back to take one last look at his home. He sucked in his breath and then threw the rope down, waiting until it was hovering just above the ground. He gave it an experimental tug, and then proceeded to slide down, stopping directly above the ground. Still clutching onto the rope, Castiel slowly lowered his feet, staring intently at the earth as if he was trying to count every single blade of grass below him. When he finally alighted on the ground, he murmured a barely audible "Fascinating."

Once the rope was cut and stored inside a bag, the trio made their way to the horses, still safely tied to the nearby trees. At least, the two brothers headed to the horses. Their new companion stopped every step or so to ogle at the plants.

Castiel was squatting by a dandelion that poked out from underneath a bush by the time the brothers were ready to go. He was gently prodding at the little flower, watching as the white fluffs take off into the air when Dean coughed loudly.

"You know, if you stop to stare at every single plant we pass, this is going to be a very long journey," He drawled.

"My apologies," Castiel said as he rose to approach the two. "I have never seen such a wide variety of plants, and I have only studied those inside my home." His eyes darted back to the tower for a split second.

"So you've really _never_ left your tower?" Sam frowned. He thought Castiel's mom would at least leash him up and take the guy on walks or something, but it actually seemed like he never got to step out of that wretched building.

Castiel only shook his head.

"That's… Gotta be lonely." Yeah, Sam may have been known as the studious brother, but it's not like he was good at sharing feelings. So the issue with the tower, no matter how weird it was, was immediately buried and neither brother expected it to resurface for quite some time.

"So are we ready to go?" Dean said as he swiftly mounted Impala.

"Yeah, we're pretty much packed up." Sam nodded, then jumped up onto his own mare.

Castiel, on the other hand, was directing his attention to Impala, gently patting the black steed's nose as he marveled at the horse.

"Uh, Cas," Dean leaned sideways to look at the other man. "We ready?"

Castiel looked up at Dean, and then glanced at each horse in a confused manner. "Should I walk?" He asked. Dean rolled his eyes.

"Sa- _John_, share the saddle with Cas." He ordered, but Sam only gave Dean a disbelieving look.

"What?" He didn't seem to sit well with that idea. "Dude, _you're_ the one who's always crowing about how amazing Impala is and how she can take the weight of three men. _You_ share the saddle with Cas."

Dean gave his brother a glowering look, but Sam knew that he would never deny how awesome his baby was.

"Fine," Dean grunted, resisting the urge to flip Sam off. "Cas, get up here."

Castiel only looked more confused as he tried and failed to lift himself up onto Impala. Dean bit back a frustrated growl.

"Of course I get stuck with the guy that can't ride a horse." He muttered to himself as he hopped off Impala. "Here, lemme help…"

Dean tried to help Castiel onto the horse, valiantly trying to ignore how awkward their actions must have looked and the grin that must be on Sam's face and _Christ, it's like Dean can actually feel his brother's big goofy smile_. It took a while, but by the time the sun was gone, they were finally both on Impala and actually ready to go.

* * *

The walk in the forest was silent asides from the clip clop of the horses' hooves, and Castiel held his arms lightly around Dean's waist. Dean was just glad that it was dark, since he didn't even want to know the color of his face right now.

"Do you really have to cling on to me?" He whispered after a very tense few minutes of silence.

"I have never ridden a horse before." Castiel stated matter-of-factly. Dean sighed. Castiel took the break in the silence to start musing. "I wonder how my mother is…"

"Somewhere far, far away, I hope for your sake," Dean muttered back. Castiel fidgeted, his mind riddled with guilt over his lie, and they slipped back into silence.

* * *

Some time during the group's trudge through the forest, Dean felt a weight on his back. He struggled to twist his head back, only to get a face full of dark hair.

"Dude, get off me," Dean hissed, but Castiel didn't move. "John!" Sam lifted his head wearily to look at his brother. "Is this guy asleep on me?"

Sam squinted his eyes, long adjusted to the dark. "I think so…" Sam said unhelpfully, and then jerked his horse to a stop when they heard the crackling of twigs nearby. "Robert…" Sam's voice was suddenly cautious.

Despite the possibility of them being in danger, Dean shot Sam an irritated glance. His brother had the irritating habit of making up the lamest aliases for Dean. Robert was just one name on a long list.

"Well, I guess that it's a signal that we should stop and make camp for the night." Dean announced, easing Impala into a halt.

He shrugged his shoulders in an effort to get Castiel to wake up. The man lurched backwards, nearly toppling off Impala. Castiel looked at his surroundings in a disorientated fashion.

"Wake up, Cas. We're gonna shelter here for tonight." Dean said, and Castiel blindly nodded in agreement.

The brothers quickly dismounted from their horses, while Dean had to stop and help Castiel off Impala. As Castiel tied the horses to a nearby tree, the brothers took pouches from their sacks and started scattering a white substance in a large circle that encompassed them and the horses.

"What are you doing?" Castiel asked as he watched the two brothers.

"We're scattering salt." Dean said flatly, not looking up from his work until he and Sam were both finished.

Castiel tilted his head to one side, confused. "Why?" He prodded on.

"Seriously?" Dean looked incredulous. "You live in the middle of a friggin' paradise for monsters, and you don't know?"

Castiel only frowned. "Monsters?"

Dean groaned, obviously not in the mood to explain, then looked at Sam for help.

Sam only shrugged. "Y'know, bears and big animals like that. Salt's great for driving off bears." He lied easily. Castiel lived in a damn tower for all his life, it's not like he was an expert in wildlife. At least, Sam hoped.

Castiel's frown only deepened at this flimsy lie, but he accepted it with a nod and settled down on a nearby log.

Dean and Sam exchanged looks, with Dean shooting Sam a '_bears, really?_' glance and Sam responding with a '_hey, he believed it!_' look.

* * *

Castiel was awakened some time in the middle of the night by the rustling of leaves. He couldn't exactly pinpoint the location, but the noise was dangerously close to him. He blindly reached out for the nearest body next to him, which happened to be Dean.

"Ugh… Whu?" Dean clearly sounded annoyed when he was roused from his slumber, batting Castiel's hand away. "Whaddya want, Cas?" He groaned.

"I don't think the salt worked." Castiel said in a very worried tone. _That_ woke Dean up. The man immediately sat up, one hand flying out to touch a dagger that was kept nearby.

The rustling only grew louder, and Castiel was quickly scooting closer to Dean, who was in the process of waking his brother.

What none of them expected to pop out of the dark was a rabbit, bushy, grey and peering at them with beady black eyes.

Nobody moved for a minute, and then Dean let out a snort. "Well, that was a waste of-"

He was immediately cut off when the rabbit let out a terrifying half-snarl half-hiss and flared previously hidden wings, and wait, _did that thing have antlers sticking out of its head_?

Castiel instinctively jerked back in shock. It's not like he got to see a mutant were-rabbit every day.

"It's a wolpertinger!" Sam yelled, jolting up with a dagger in his hand. As the rabbit, no wait, _wolpertinger_, leapt for the three men, Dean's dagger was slashing in the air, connecting with the creature's throat. The wolpertinger emitted a gurgled sound, falling to the ground with a sickening thump.

Castiel watched in stunned silence as Dean got up and kicked the dead creature out of the salt circle in a very calm manner, as if he did this every day. Sam watched Castiel, feeling slightly concerned about his current state of mind. Of course they were going to run into monsters inside the forest, but Sam didn't expect it to be so soon. And he certainly didn't expect their first encounter to be a wolpertinger. Like, seriously? Couldn't it be something less insane? Maybe a nice vampire. Those seemed much more believable when compared to a damn flying rabbit with antlers.

"Look, Cas, I know this seems a little-" He started.

"What was that?" Castiel asked, eyes fixed on the dark and limp form that lay outside the circle.

"A wolpertinger." Dean stated as he headed back towards the two other men, settling back into his previous sleeping spot before Castiel had rudely awakened him. "They originate from Germanic folklore, and they're pretty easy to kill."

Castiel only looked bewildered. "I don't understand." He mumbled. Folklore? Doesn't that mean these things weren't real? Castiel certainly didn't remember reading about winged rabbits that were out for blood.

"Well, the whole creatures of the night thing? Vampires and werewolves and all those big bad monsters that come out once it's dark?" Dean said. "Yeah, it's real. It's all real."

"My mother always told me to not be afraid of the dark." Castiel murmured.

"Don't be afraid of the dark?" Dean scoffed. "Are you kidding me? You should always be afraid of the dark."

Sam frowned at his brother. Now was not the best of times to tell someone that everything nasty that he had ever heard of actually exists, but Dean was never the tactful man.

"But we're safe now," Sam interjected. "And that's what matters." He glared at his brother, but Dean replied with a '_what did I do?_' look.

Castiel only nodded, and the group went back to sleep. Hopefully, no bloodthirsty bunnies would rouse them from their dreams for a few more hours.

_..._

_Yes, I had to include that rabbit scene from _Tangled_. Ahaha... Anyways, as usual, reviews are very much appreciated. They battle with my laziness, in fact. _


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey again, people! Your reviews are as kind and as fueling as ever, and I'm so happy that it made you guys happy! Ehehe. And wow, this story has over a thousand hits! Aaah, I didn't expect this big a reaction, to be honest. Thank you guys so much for keeping up with me despite my laziness, and writing the nicest reviews! I'm also still working on my high school AU, although it's only one chapter so far. Ahahahaha. I intend it to be like, over ten chapters, so this may take some time. Woulda guys like a teaser or something? It's definitely going to have a dash of anime/manga in it, like really comical situations and stuff. Yeah, I'm not good at writing angst, ugh. But don't worry, you guys will expect angst in this story! Maybe just a little. Since I don't like it when these guys feel sad. Then I feel sad. Alright, no more rambling, on with the story!_

_..._

_**That night**_

Gordon had followed Dean's orders and was trudging alongside the river. It was the middle of the night, and he was tired of being chased around all day by the royal guard. He had just managed to shake them off after the darkness fell, hearing the sounds thundering hooves behind him start to fade away. Gordon didn't know what had happened the two brothers, but it's not like he cared much about their safety. Those two were too much trouble to work with, especially if half the country wanted their asses because of a _shapeshifter_. Really Dean, a shapeshifter? At least they were useful for hunting down vampires. His grip on his reins tensed at that word.

Vampires. Just the thought of those fanged bastards made the hunter's blood boil. They were the ones who turned his precious sister into one of them. The day was burned into Gordon's mind; he could still remember her pleads as she stood in the middle of the mess of decapitated bodies, and he could still see the horrified look painted on her face as he drew his blade on her.

Gordon gritted his teeth and shook the images from his mind. He had just taken out an entire nest of vampires; he should be celebrating their demise right now instead of mourning over one. Right. The sister he knew was gone as soon as her blood was tainted. He had killed a _vampire_, not his sister. He tilted his head up to study the pattern of the sky in an attempt to steer his mind away from those monsters. Just for a while. After this, it would be back to taking down as many bloodsuckers as he could.

A sudden snap of a twig made Gordon's head turn toward the shadowy trees, just in time to see a black shape hurtling toward him. Gordon only had time to let out a startled cry before he was knocked off his horse by the dark figure, landing with his back on the ground and his ambusher on top of him. His mare let out a startled whinny and charged off, leaving her owner for dead.

It took his eyes a few seconds to adjust, but once they were focused, Gordon let out a noise of pure anger.

A vampire.

"Gordon Walker." The creature sneered. "The famous Gordon Walker. Do you know that your head is in high demand amongst my kin?"

"Nice to know that I'm making a name for myself," Gordon spat, struggling to push the bloodsucker off him. It was impossible, what with a vampire that weighed as much as a sack of bricks.

The vampire only let out mirthless laughter. "How proud my brothers and sisters would be if they could see me right now, avenging their deaths." He grinned, allowing his many fangs to shoot out. Gordon growled.

"So kill me now!" He shouted, his struggles growing more violent. "You should've seen the look on your family's face," Gordon's eyes were beginning to shine in a maniacal way as he continued his jeering. "They were begging for life, the goddamn bloodsuckers were _begging for life!_ Like they deserved it." A sense of satisfaction crept up on him when the despondent look crossed the vampire's face.

"You shut your mouth!" The vampire hissed.

"Then_ kill me_!" Gordon yelled back. A thoughtful look crossed the creature's face, making Gordon tighten his jaws. The vampire shook his head, a broken smile forming.

"No, you don't deserve such a kind punishment for your actions," The vampire said, and Gordon tensed. It was like he already knew what the vampire had planned for him.

The vampire quickly sliced open a wound in his arm, and as the creature lashed out to grab onto Gordon's arm, the hunter started struggling all over again. "No! Don't you dare do it, _don't you dare_!"

But his cries fell on deaf ears as the vampire cut his arm, making Gordon cry out in agony, not over the pain, but over what would immediately proceed.

The vampire held his arm over the hunter's, watching in pleasure as his blood mixed with Gordon's. The hunter started to convulse grotesquely as his cries became deafening.

The vampire only watched on silently as Gordon's spasms slowly weakened, although he still twitched every second or so. Gordon's face was slicked with sweat as he watched the vampire stand up, his work done, and give the hunter a cruel smile, disappearing into the woods.

"Damn… You…" Gordon breathed before he passed out.

_**Later morning**_

Castiel was the first one to rise, although he was quite confused when he realized that he was in the middle of a forest instead of his own room. Then the memories of what transpired yesterday hit him, making him feel quite dizzy. He ran away from his mother. He was going to see the lights.

Oh, and there was also the slight matter of a carnivorous winged rabbit and the fact that monsters existed.

Castiel was still trying to wrap his mind around that when he heard something near him shift. He looked over to see his new companion, Robert, sit up, shaking his head in an attempt to chase away any remnants of his slumber.

"Mornin', Cas," Robert said, his voice thick with sleep.

Castiel nodded his greeting. "Good morning, Robert." He said. A look of confusion crossed the other's man's face, but it only lasted for a split second, and Castiel wondered if he had just imagined it.

"Well, I'm going to wake up Sa-uh, John, here, and we'll be ready to go, alright?" Robert's voice was quickly adopting the gruff tone that it usually had when he was fully awake.

Castiel only made a faint noise of agreement, returning to his thoughts on 'monsters, really, they exist?' This made the other man pause, looking over his shoulder at Castiel.

"Hey, uh, you okay?" Robert asked, his green eyes set on Castiel, and did he actually look a little worried?

"I'm fine, why do you ask?" Castiel wondered why the man seemed concerned for his safety. Robert seemed like the more brusque brother when compared to John.

"Well, maybe because you were attacked by a freaking vampire rabbit yesterday." Robert said.

"I thought you said it was a wolpertinger?" Castiel frowned. Robert smiled and shook his head, and Castiel had to admit that he looked much better with a smile, at least when it wasn't when he was teasing him.

"Look, I just want to… _Apologize_, for, y'know, snapping at you yesterday," Robert said, opting for a change of subject. "It was a crazy day, being held captive and forced to go through these woods," Castiel was going to argue that he wasn't holding them captive, but the man continued. "Me and my brother, we're usually a lot more careful when it comes to keeping people away from all this… Monster stuff. I guess I shoulda been more tactful last night." Robert concluded, and Castiel nodded. They went silent for a while.

"So we cool?" Robert finally asked, and Castiel frowned. He still didn't understand many of the idioms and references the two brothers would make. Robert caught onto this and corrected himself. "I mean, are we okay?"

"We're okay," Castiel affirmed, his mouth slightly curved upward, and he got a grin in response.

Not before long, John was awakened and the supplies were packed up and ready to go, with John on his mare and Castiel and Robert atop Impala. They only stopped for a minute because Robert had complained about not eating breakfast.

"Well, it's not like we're going to roast the wolpertinger." His brother had huffed.

* * *

They were trudging through the forest, as usual, when Sam had heard the trees - no really,_ the trees -_ whisper something.

"Sam," They said.

Sam paused his horse, making Dean stop shortly after him.

"Something wrong?" Dean asked.

Sam strained his ears, but he heard nothing. Brushing it off as his imagination, he shook his head.

"Nah, just… Nothing." Sam said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Dean gave him an odd look, but nudged Impala into a walk again, overtaking Sam and leaving him a foot behind.

That was when Sam heard the whispers again. "Sam, don't you remember me, Sam?" The voice sounded hurt.

Sam stopped his horse again with a jolt, his mind instantly connecting that voice with that person. No. No, no, no, no. She's dead. It's impossible. She's gone, and Sam had seen her body before it had been destroyed. But the voice sounded again, over the rustle of the trees as a gentle breeze passed them.

"No, Sam. I'm not gone," It breathed gently. "I'm still here."

Sam was sure that he had gone insane, but he still looked around at his surroundings just in case she was _actually_ there.

"Jess?" He murmured.

_..._

_Annnd cue in the angst! Can you guys guess the next monster I'm going to bring up? Sorry if this is kind of a cliffhanger, I'm only good at writing cliffhangers because they're so suspenseful! D: So, as always, reviews are very much appreciated! c: School's gonna start, like, tomorrow, though, so I may update less frequently. I'm very sorry, guys :c But hey it's a Wednesday, so expect an update by the weekend, at least!_


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